PUTNAM COUNTY, INDIANA
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
Franklin township was not settled until 1824. two years after the
organization of the county. In that year, James Gordon and William
Elrod settled in that part of the county, being the first to make their
way thither. They were joined the next year by Garrett Gibson and James
Fiddler. In 1826 came David Barnes, Thomas House, David House, Joshua
Burnett. William Giddons, John Miller. Samuel Osborn and Thomas Batman.
The newcomers for 1827-28 were James Makemson, the LaFolletts, the
Henkles. Mr. Brothers and Thomas Grider. During the next year, John
Dickerson, A. Osborn, Samuel and Isaac Brown arrived, and were joined
in 1830-31 by James Stephens, George Wright, the Catherwoods. Jesse
Hymer. James E. Edwards, Philip Carpenter. A. S. Farrow and others.
The first habitation of the white man in the township was erected in
the thirty-sixth section by the first white inhabitant, James Gordon.
The first blacksmith forge that rang its peals in that neighborhood was
put up and worked in 1828 by Philip Lemon. The first store was kept by
Philip Carpenter. and was located south of the site of Carpentersville
in the year of 1831. The first white child born in the township was
James Gordon. son of Anderson Gordon. The first school was taught by a
man named Elliott in 1839. in the neighborhood of Fincastle. William
Elrod was the first justice of the peace. Henry Rogers located here in
1832. and became the first practitioner of medicine in the township.
The first church organization was effected by the Presbyterians. who at
an early day held meetings at the house of George Pearcy. in section 1.
Monroe township. but soon removed into a church on section 32. in
Franklin. This congregation was under the pastoral charge of Rev. James
H. Shields. The Presbyterians now have a house of worship and a good
membership at Carpentersville. The Christian denomination next
organized about the year 1827. Elders Coombs. Haney. Harris and Girder
were among their first preachers. Their present church edifice is
located at Fincastle. The Regular Baptists were organized in 1829. at
James Fiddler's house by Rev. Nathan Keeney. They at present have a
fair membership. who worship in a church building in section 21. For
some cause the Methodists did not push their organization into Franklin
as early as into other townships of the county. Their history is.
therefore. more meager than that of other denominations. They have a
church at Carpentersville. where they are represented by a good
membership. They have. also. a brick church at Fincastle.
Carpentersville. situated near the southeast corner of the township. on
the Louisville. New Albany & Chicago railroad. was laid out about
the year 1840 by Philip Carpenter. who had been carrying on a tan yard
there for several years prior to that time. Logan Sutherlin was the
first merchant and a Mr. Bradford the first blacksmith. William King
taught the first school and Doctor Cross was the first physician. The
Methodist Episcopal church was the first organized. and the
Presbyterians followed soon afterward. Both of these denominations now
have church edifices in the village.
The postmasters at Carpentersville. with dates of appointment. have
been as follows: Ezra Whitney. May 23. 1850: J. B. Cross. October 30.
1851 ; A. R. Hyde. June 21. 1853; Philip Carpenter. July 1. 1854:
Robert M. Ramsey. April 18. 1861 : A. L. Goodbar. March 5. 1863; James
Turner. April 5. 1864; Z. T. Moffett. May 29. 1865; Archie Brown.
January 17. 1866; George H. McKee. April 3. 1867; Joseph A. Pation.
August 21. 1867; John A. Brown. February 13. 1868; John T. Cline.
November 19. 1869; James M. Taylor. August 27. 1875; William T. Smith.
January 28. 1876; George W. Corwin. February 18. 1879; W. F. Garver.
April 2. 1880: William D. Parker. September 14. 1883: B. B. Cline.
October 2. 1888; William D. Parker. August 3. 1889; George A. Hutchins.
July 9. 1890; B. B. Cline. June 27. 1893; Marcus A. Pickel. May 21.
1897; Nina I. Dawson. May 3. 1909.
Fincastle. located in the western part of this township. was laid out
in the year 1838 by John Oberchain. A store was soon opened by Allen
Pier- son. and a blacksmith shop by the Conner brothers. The school was
taught by Wilson Turner. who was also the first resident physician.
The postmasters at Fincastle have been as follows: David Fosher.
October 21. 1847; R. W. Moss. March 6. 1850; Charles B. Bridger. June
n. 1853; S. J. Ritchey. June 23. 1855; William B. Cunningham. April 3.
1857; Discontinued November 20. 1858; Robert L. Bridges (Re-Est.).
February 15. 1877; Thomas L. Grider. April 5. 1881; Jesse B. Fosher.
February 16. 1883; Zaccheus Grider. June 18. 1884; James B. Shannon.
July 9. 1885; Calvin Harris. January 24. 1889; Thomas L. Grider.
January 17. 1890; Ora G. Edwards. May 4. 1893; James F. Edwards. May
25. 1895; H. C. Fosher. October 26. 1895; Thomas L. Grider. September
13. 1897; discontinued January 14. 1905.
The town of Roachdale. located in the northeastern part of the
township. is the latest accession to the list of towns in the county.
It was incorporated shortly after the completion of the Indianapolis.
Decatur & Springfield railroad. March 25. 1882. As the latter road
crossed the Louisville. New Albany & Chicago railroad at this
point. the town naturally experienced a very rapid growth. and has
steadily held its own ever since. Its first town officers consisted of
the following: John W. Hargrave. Sam B. Sweeney. Justice M. Ghormly.
trustees; Samuel J. Hennon. clerk. John H. Grantham. treasurer; John
Pinnell. marshal.
The present officers are: John H. Jeffries. Judson Lindley. J. W.
Sanders. trustees; R. E. Greene. treasurer and clerk; L. C. Cummings.
marshal.
There are four churches in the town. Methodist. Christian. Presbyterian
and Baptist. A beautiful and commodious school building. with modern
conveniences. was built several years ago. containing seven class rooms
and provisions for a commissioned high school. The school board
consists of C. C. Collins. president; G. W. Irwin. secretary. and C. F.
Rice. treasurer.
The following fraternal orders are represented: Masons: Levi S.
Worrell. worshipful master; Otto K. Henry. senior warden; Sam W. Dodds.
junior warden: O. A. Shepard. treasurer; G. W. Irwin. secretary; Fred
L. McAmick. senior deacon; John T. Sutherlin. junior deacon; Willard
Gough. J. Ed Crosby. stewards; Scott Wyatt Tyler.
Knights of Pythias: John Sutherlin. chancellor commander; Thomas
Sutherlin. vice-commander: E. W. Webster. prelate; Oliver Bales. master
of work; D. A. Smith, keeper of records and seal; I. E. Weddle, master
of finance; Amos Wendling, master of exchequer; Ben Dean, inside guard;
John Oakley, outside guard.
Odd Fellows: William Davis, noble grand; Charles Mclntyre, vice-grand ;
Ernest Thompson, J. B. Gough, secretaries; B. L. Hall, treasurer; M. A.
Eggers, warden; Jesse Young, conductor; William Radford, inside guard:
Amos Wendling, outside guard; C. L. Airhart, chaplain.
Modern Woodmen: W. C. Barnes, venerable consul; C. T. Miller, worthy
adviser; R..E. Greene, clerk; G. D. luppenlatz, banker.
The only bank in the town is called the Roachdale Bank. O. A. Shepard
is president; Joseph Cline, cashier, and Margaret Hanna, assistant
cashier. The weekly paper is called The Roachdale News and is edited by
L. L. Ware and R. E. Greene. The postmaster is Charles McGaughey. There
is an electric light plant, two sawmills, a large elevator and the
Putnam Veneer & Lumber Company, all doing a profitable and thriving
business. In population the town ranks next to Greencastle.
The postmasters at Roachdale, with dates of their appointment, have
been as follows: William B. Lewis, February 3, 1880; William B. Lewis,
February 24, 1880; F. M. Ghormley, July 6, 1880; George M. Cook,
January 23, 1882; Francis M. Ghormley, April 10, 1882; John T. Cline,
December i1, 1884; George Justice, May 3, 1889; John Dodd. April 5,
1893; George Justice, May 1, 1897; Charles McGaughey, March 21, 1904.
Source: Weik's History of Putnam County, Indiana By Jesse William
Weik